Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-11-21
THE METROPOLITAN COMPANIES
TRACKS.
The Company Defends It's Right 70 DC.
cupy Certain streets.

The District Commissioners have submitted to
the senate committee, In connection with their re-
port on the steam and street railroads, state
ment from the president of the Metropolitan Rail-
road Company in reference to It's occupancy Of
certain streets and avenues. 1t is stated that the
question OF the right of the company to
use the particular streets and avenues not
included within the provisions Of its orig
inal or amended charter is not new
one. ''This company" says the report, "fully ap-
preciating the Importance OF having all doubts
as TO Its right to use its existing tracks authori
tatively settled and confirmed, and desiring that
It's action conform, in all respects to the require
ments of law, respectfully ask that the Commits
20 makas TO sse hog 81 the
attention OF the committee the facts now COM
municated, and recommend that the right OF the
now occupied by it be sanctioned
and confirmed BY appropriate legislation" 1t Is
submitted that under the existing circumstances
interests Of the company and It's stockhoiders the
interests OF the public will be best promoted by
the recognition of the companys present
avenues In support OF this argument the
statement is made that large sums o
money have have been spent in perfeeting The
SYSTEM; that It has 10 miles Of double track and
about 20 miles OF single track for transportation
over which cents Is the only fare, and that two
eeea to
on nth street from PENNSYLVANIA avenue to Con-
nectlcut avenue, and on that avenue from the In
tersectiOn or 18th street and Connecticut avenue
TO Boundary, 1t Is claimed that the
rights OF the Metropolitan Railway thereon
were derived from the Connecticut avenue and
Park Railway Co by purchase and the assumption
or us debts. AS to the track on 9TH street ex-
tended, beginning at the point OF Intersection Of
Boundary street and Rockville turnpike and run.
ming TO the boundary line OF the District, 1t Is as
serted by the Metropolitan iilway Co. that lheil
rights thereon were derived from the Boundary
and Silver Spring Railway CO. District Attorney
Riddle alleged in his recent report on this subject
10 the Commissioners, that the act OF the
legislative assembly Incorporating the Bound
airy and Silver Spring Railway Company
was void because OF the provision OF section "a Of
the United states Revised Statutes relating to the
District OF Columbia, which declared that the Leg
islative Assembly should not pass any special law
granting to any corporation, association or 1ndi
vidual any special or privilege immunity
or franchise whatsoever"
The Metropolitan Co. take exception to the allie
CATION, and state at the time OF the passage o.
ating the B. 8. s. Railway CO., it was moi
supposed that the language QuOled inhibited
the Legislature OF the District from passing acts OF
incorporation, like the one under consideration
IL was necessary, or at least desirable, that the
legislative intent should be more clearly expressed
the Metropolitan Company alleges shat no fur
Their street railroads shall be laid down in the city
OF Washington without the consent OF Congress.
In relation TO the tracks On 18th street, Con
necticut avenue, p street north and west, H1gt
street, Fayette street, Sd, now street, I'd, now
now 2Sth street, the company claims that iI de
rived It's rights from the Union Railroad Company
which was Incorporated under the same act as thu
Boundary and Silver Springs Railway Company.